I don't know where this year went...can you tell from my last post in May that the year has just gotten away. I had a break from scrapbooking, only a couple of months and work somehow got into the road, well I do need money for more scrap stash! :-)
I have just been to my FIRST EVER retreat with Little Scrapbook Shop(LSBS) yes after 13yrs of scrapbooking I went to my first retreat outside Sydney which is a 4hr flight from Perth (in Australia). Long Long weekend after an early morning flight then a 1.5hr bus ride to the wonderful place where I stayed for the weekend (Thursday 4pm to Sunday 3pm). So peaceful below the blue mountains and 71 woman in total!!!! My motion sickness did not make my flights very nice even with three lots of medication - wow I normally take one. The hardest thing about going to this retreat was leaving my husband & our girls at home...I have never been away from my husband like this before and we have been married 11yrs. But did I enjoy hubby & child free time - you betcha I did, I kinda think I needed it and was defiantly overdue. I just scrapped, scrapped and slept (4hrs), scrapped, scrapped and slept (5hrs), no interruptions except for food breaks and chatting, although I must admit my hubby is very much involved in my scrapbooking and I get to have what I want no questions asked - he even buys more than me...lol...
Let's just say that this retreat was a real learning curve and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!!! I learn't SO MUCH!!!! I did all the classes even if I didn't finish which I have been working on for the last couple of nights. I think more than anything I was overwhelmed at the retreat by it all and that is why I struggled to finish items that I started. Since I have been to my first retreat I have now booked into two more already but these are driving distance from home, plus I am booked back into this one again next year - I have caught the bug!!!
The first page I completed at retreat was a 45min challenge, oh wowsers I didn't know what a 45min challenge was until someone explained to me (that I only had 45mins to complete a page) and I got cracking... I bought from the LSBS these beautiful Ranger Dylusions sprays 12 different colours in total and my word do they stand out!!!! I love these better than Glimmermist for colour. They do not have the sparkle that Glimmermist do but they are bright and that is me all over.
So here is the 45min challenge completed page - would you believe I got 3rd!!! That blew me away...
There were plenty of challenges at this retreat and I tried to complete them all but I needed less sleep and more time to do so!!!
We had to complete a Christmas page (The photo was not to be of a child/ren sitting on Santa's knee - not a problem for us we believe in Jesus) so I used these beautiful photos from Christmas Eve last year. Also used some packaging from behind some beautiful Prima flowers the words; love, hope & Faith.
The last layout I will share today was a class by the Lovely Anna Painter who lives in Western Australia too, never been able to meet her until this retreat... I love this page it is so not what I would do so I was pushing my boundaries doing this. I changed her layout to suit myself and only made the three pockets not four. There is twine and metal embellishments which I didn't think would stay on the page - the wonders of good old Pritt Gel... This photo I took of my hubby the afternoon before I left WA.
Now can I tell you looking at these photos all weekend didn't help me at some stages as I got a little teary wanting a cuddle or just to hear their voices - ah the love of my mobile phone to hear their voices many times over the weekend - even when my hubby was saying "Please hurry and come home!" Two girls and they are both just like me...lol...I think he appreciates me even more than before.
So I will sign out, saying thank you if you have read all the way through this post, also please treasure every minute with your loved ones cause you don't know when it will be the last. Going away makes you realise how much you do love them no matter the good or the bad!!!!
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